George h



(No Model.) J. W. NEWMANQDod.

G. H. NEWMAN, Administrator.

RIDING SADDLE.

No. 335,474. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JAMES \V. NEXVMAN, OF FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE; GEORGE H. NElVMAN ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID JAMES \V. NEW/MAN, DECEASED.

RIDING-SADDLE.

SPECEPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,4:74, dated February 2, 1886.

Application filed April 14, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES \V. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fayetteville, in the county of Lincoln and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Riding Saddles, of which the following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates to an improvement in riding-saddles; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction and arrangement of the same,whereby aged or corpulent persons are enabled to readily mount without aid, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings,in which Figures 1 and 2 are side views of a saddle, showing my device in an extended and also a folded form; and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the saddle.

A represents a saddle of any of the usual and well-known forms, either for gentlemens or ladies use, provided with a girth or bellyband and stirrups, as in ordinary cases.

In horseback-riding ladies and people who by age or corpulency are unequal to active 0 exertion find it often difficult to mount, as it is not always convenient to a stone or horseblock to aid them. To aid them in this I provide the saddle with a second band or girth, B, secured at one end to the saddle,

5 and, passing around beneath the horse, runs loosely through a metal loop or eye, b, secured upon the opposite side. From thence the band hangs down to within easy reach from the ground and below the ordinary stirrup,

0 and has upon its end a stirrup or equivalent device to receive the foot of the rider, as at b.

To enable the saddle to be readily detached from the horse,l have shown in Fig. 3 a buckle at the stationary end of the band B, which 5 is thus readily detached. This buckle may, however, be as readily placed at the point of attachment of the strap and the step. To prevent this lower stirrup from swinging too freely, I attach to it a brace, O, hinged to the band B, beneath the animal, and bent to con- Serial No.162,193. (No model.)

form nearly to its form when folded, as will be'presently explained. To fold this auxiliary stirrup or step when not in use, I attach to it a small strap or cord, 0, which passes through a buckle, c, secured to the saddle.

In use the auxiliary step is lowered, and is prevented from swinging by its rigid brace C. The rider places one foot upon this step and then the other in the usual stirrup, and swings himself into the saddle without difiiculty. A1 ter the mounting, a pull upon the strap 0 lifts the stirrup or step b and folds it up on the skirt of the saddle in rear of the riders leg.

l as in Fig. 2, and it is then out of the way till wanted again for usein dismounting. The band 6 B, it will be observed, passes loosely through the loop I), and this weight upon the auxiliary stirrup tightens it at once and prevents the saddle from turning, the strain being equal upon both sides. This is important when the rider is heavy, as it is often difficult in such cases to prevent the turning unless the ordinary girth is tightened more than is proper for the animal to bear. Persons who are by any reason rendered inactive or incapable of quick motion are by this enabled to readily mount or dismount without having recourse to a stone, fence, or other object, which can not always be found when desired. The brace C, it will be understood, is hinged by any ordinary hinge-plate to the band, and cannot sway sidewise while being bent to conform nearly to the shape of the animal. It lies close when folded up, and is not in the way or conspicuous.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a riding-saddle having the usual girth and stirrup, of an auxo iliary step or stirrup hung from one side, below the usual one, whereby the rideris enabled to mount more easily, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a riding-saddle, 5

IOO.

3. The combination, with a ridingsaddle of the usual form, of an auxiliary girth secured to one side of the saddle, passed through an eye or loop on the opposite side, and having a step or stirrup upon its end hanging below the usual stirrup, a brace connected to said step and hinged to the girth below the animal, and a strap or cord attached to the step and carried up to the saddle for folding it, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The saddle A, made, as usual, with securing-girth and stirrups, in combination with the auxiliary girth 13, secured at one side of the saddle and passed loosely through a loop,

b, on the opposite side, a step or' stirrup, b', 15

on the end of this girth, and connected to it by a hinged brace, O, curved to conform to the shape of the animal, and the lifting-strap c, secured to the auxiliary step and passed through the buckle c, all constructed and ar- 20 ranged for operation substantially as and for 

